Nederland’s take on rivalry with PN-G

When Nederland hosts Port Neches-Groves for the teams’ Mid-County Madness rivalry, any play could be a game-changer. At least that’s the mindset Nederland coach Larry Neumann will take into the game, which will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Nederland’s Bulldog Stadium.

“In big games, major factors are turnovers and the kicking game — momentum swingers like that,” Neumann said. “In this game, momentum swings on the smallest of things. If you make a first down, 8,000 people will cheer. Then if the other team makes a first down it’s the same thing. So when you get unexpected things like turnovers and good and bad plays in the kicking game, it affects momentum.

“That’s what this game is all about. There are a lot of emotions in it. It doesn’t matter what your records are going into it or anything else. It’s pretty much an event for that night.”

Both Nederland and PN-G enter the game with identical 1-3 overall records and 0-1 marks in District 20-4A. Nederland is fresh off a 24-14 loss at Vidor while PN-G lost 49-42 last Friday against Livingston.

PN-G won last season’s game against Nederland 23-7. The Indians also beat Nederland the last time the teams met at Bulldog Stadium in 2008, 41-21.

“It’s a non-typical rivalry,” Neumann said. “I think this is a special game in the state of Texas. You probably don’t have a half dozen games like this in the state. I think both communities are extremely proud of this classy rivalry, and for the 17 years I’ve been a head coach here, it has been a respectable rivalry. There is a lot of emotion, and everything around it has been in good taste.”

Both teams feature stars at the quarterback position. PN-G is led by senior Brennan Doty’s 772 pass yards and nine touchdowns through the air. Nederland, meanwhile, has 6-foot-5 quarterback Dionte Forney back after missing the Bulldogs’ first three games of the season due to injuries he suffered in a pre-season scrimmage against Dayton.

Forney returned last week against Vidor and he posted 139 pass yards and one interception. Forney added one rushing touchdown for the Bulldogs.

“I know Doty and he’s good,” Forney said. “I went to a lot of camps with him. It’s going to be a good game between me and him. Everybody is looking to see who is one of the best quarterbacks in this area. So it will be a challenge being able to compete against him.”